THE ACCREDITED REGISTER

OF FOOT HEALTH PRACTITIONERS

This Register has been approved by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care in accordance with the Health and Social Care Act 2012

A REGISTER FOR INFORMATION AND PUBLIC PROTECTION

Practitioners admitted to this register have trained to defined standards and have elected to demonstrate accountability. They seek to apply best practice in professional behaviour, technical competence and business principles.

You are advised to check that your Foot Health Practitioner is registered

Details of disciplinary issues pending and current are shown on this register to help you make an informed choice.

The Registrar ensures that matters of discipline or alleged malpractice are properly notified, and that the outcome of any subsequent investigation is displayed. The Registrar also ensures that any training order, suspension, or other sanction runs its intended course, and if striking-off becomes necessary it is notified to other regulators and safeguarding agencies.

Professional Standards Authority Accredited Registers

The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care sets standards for organisations holding registers for health and social care occupations and accredits those that meet them. This register has met all of those standards....

The Authority also oversees statutory bodies that regulate health and social care professionals in the UK including the HCPC, GMC and NMC. They assess their performance, conduct audits, scrutinise their decisions and report to Parliament.

The major part of uncomplicated foot and leg care is within the capability and remit of the Foot Health Practitioner. Immediate access by self-referral and early availability of their services make the Foot Health Practitioner working in the private sector an important resource for the general public.

Much of the work is routine and often requires repeat at determined intervals. In the majority of the cases seen and attended by the practitioner there is little or no morbidity of the leg and foot. In many cases, there is need for routine maintenance occasioned by diabetes mellitus, arthritic hands, eye troubles, ankylosis of the spine, obesity, pregnancy, etc. Many patients will simply have difficulty reaching their feet for maintenance - others appreciate the help of a practitioner who they can trust to trim and maintain their nails properly. Many of the conditions encountered are directly attributable to the ageing process. Hip and knee pathologies contribute considerably to the need. As a trained observer, the Foot Health Practitioner contributes to the health of the populace by screening and alerting other practitioners to indicated diabetes mellitus, potential ulceration, malignancies, and other conditions.

The patient’s medical status is taken into account in order to execute the work safely and cause no medical complication. Hygiene, instrument skills, communication, and a good measure of dexterity are important to the task, as are record-keeping and regular updating. Dressing/padding/offloading skills are essential, as is the ability to manage minor wounds.

The need of referral of cases requiring the expertise of other medical professionals is well understood. Ethics consistent with the medical professions are held, recognised and respected.

THE LEVEL 4 DIPLOMA IN FOOT HEALTH PRACTICE

The course has been accredited under our NCFE IIQ Licence and the course measurable learning outcomes have been benchmarked at Level 4 (using OFQUALs’ Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF) level descriptors) to allow consideration of the depth of study, difficulty, and level of achievement involved. Level 4 is appropriate to those who apply their knowledge without supervision in complex circumstances.

NCFE accreditation gives assurance that the content of a training course is of a high standard and meets the rigorous quality assurance standards of a national awarding organisation.

The course is designed to enable safe and competent working and success in self-employed private practice.

The course theory teaches anatomy, physiology and the pathologies that commonly affect the foot and lower limb. Students study the coursework, interact with the College, and must pass a series of assessments and examination to demonstrate their understanding before they are permitted to enter into the practical training.

Principles are taught that are fully consistent with medical codes and ethical practice. So too, are the expectations of self-employment. The College of Foot Health Practitioners has taught the speciality since its establishment in 1996, and those it has qualified by its training have proven the value of the training by their success over many years.